Developing and maintaining a loyal customer base is a critical component of operating a successful casino enterprise. To develop a loyal customer base, casino enterprises attempt to generate interactions with their patrons that provide a unique and personalized game playing experience. As an example, casino enterprises offer patrons the opportunity to participate in a loyalty program. Via the loyalty program, patrons are offered various promotions and free items that encourage the patron to return to the casino.
In the loyalty program, the promotions can be tailored to a particular patron's preferences. As an example, if preferred, a patron can choose to receive promotional credits for game play on an electronic gaming machine (EGM) and information regarding this preference can be stored to an account associated with the loyalty program. In general, information regarding the patron's preferences for promotions as well as other activities within the casino enterprise, such as food, drink and room preferences, can be stored to the patron's account associated with the loyalty program. The patron information stored in the account can be used to personalize the service and the game playing experience provided by the casino enterprise.
An ever increasing portion of patrons who visit casinos are regularly carrying portable electronic devices, such as smart phones, laptops, netbooks and tablet computers capable of wireless communications, on their person. The portable electronic devices provide 1) a means of communication allowing the patron to communicate with other individuals within or outside of a casino via a number of different communication modes, 2) a source of news and information, 3) a portal to the patron's on-line activities, such as social media applications, 4) support for entertainment features, such as audio/video playback and gaming applications, 5) a repository for personal information, such as financial information that enables financial transactions in mobile wallet applications and 6) a means of capturing information, such as video images and audio recordings. Thus, portable electronic devices, such as smart phones, are becoming essential tools and, in some instances, the primary electronic interface for many individuals.
The popularity of portable electronic devices allows for the possibility of utilizing their capabilities to further personalize and enhance the gaming experience in a casino gaming environment. In view of the above, methods and apparatus are desired that allow for secure connections between an EGM and a portable electronic devices within a casino environment.